News Watch Thomas Griffith: Always Articulate on Sunday

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, brief as it was, would not be brief enough
now for television. Oh, the cameras would be there, but they would focus
first on the man from ABC-CBS-NBC describing the scene and recalling the battle.
In the background Lincoln would be seen speaking but would not be heard
saying, "The world will little note, nor long remember, what we
say here." TV's formula these days is words 100 words from the
reporter, and a "sound bite" of 15 or 20 words from the
speaker. At long last Lincoln's turn comes; he is heard pledging...